1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a webbing driving guide for moving the intermediate portion of a webbing, which is used in an automatic fastenin type seatbelt system for automatically fastening a restraining webbing to an occupant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, there have been used seatbelt systems capable of automatically fastening a webbing to an occupant after he is seated. In the seatbelt system of the type described, one end of the occupant restraining webbing is engaged with a door of a vehicle, and the other end thereof is secured to substantially the central portion of the vehicle, whereby the intermediate portion of the webbing is adapted to move forward in the vehicle in accordance with the opening action of the vehicle door. In order to enlarge a space formed between the intermediate portion of the webbing and an occupant's seat for entering or leaving the vehicle, a webbing driving guide is provided on which the intermediate portion of the webbing is wound and which moves along the door. The webbing driving guide is moved along the door by a driving force of an electric motor or the like, whereby the intermediate portion of the webbing is further moved forward in the vehicle.
However, the webbing driving guide is of such an arrangement that the webbing is wound on a contact roller in the webbing driving guide and, when the webbing driving guide is moved, a section of the intermediate portion of the webbing in contact with the contact roller is transferred in the longitudinal direction of the webbing. In that case, a component of the tension is generated in transverse direction of the webbing, whereby the webbing is moved in the widthwise direction thereof, i.e., the axial direction of the contact roller and is deviated to one side of the webbing driving guide, with the result that there are presented such disadvantages that a high resistant force against the longitudinal movement of the webbing is generated in the contact section of the intermediate portion of the webbing, the webbing comes into contact with the webbing driving guide, thereby causing damage to the selvedge of the webbing, and the like.